Category: Tourism Date: July 15, 2017 Geographical Scope: Southern Albania – Vlora, Himara, Saranda
Project Overview
The Professional Tourism Training for Improving Service Quality project aimed to enhance the professional skills of hospitality staff in Southern Albania, with the goal of improving service quality and boosting customer satisfaction. It addressed persistent staffing challenges in hotels and restaurants along the Albanian Riviera, particularly in areas experiencing high seasonal tourism demand, by delivering targeted vocational training to existing employees and seasonal job applicants.
Objectives
Overall Objective To elevate the quality of tourism services in Southern Albania through vocational training, thereby increasing visitor satisfaction and strengthening the competitiveness of the hospitality sector.
Specific Objectives
Strengthen the professional skills of hotel and restaurant staff
Identify and address specific training needs of hospitality establishments
Engage local institutions and stakeholders in quality improvement initiatives
Promote continuous vocational training and certification in tourism services
Project Description
Tourism businesses in Southern Albania face recurring issues related to staffing shortages, inconsistent service quality, and seasonal fluctuations. To tackle these, the project organized a vocational training tour across the key coastal destinations of Vlora, Himara, and Saranda.
The initiative targeted:
Staff from major hotels and restaurants
Seasonal job applicants registered with local labor offices
Local institutions, including municipalities, chambers of commerce, vocational schools, and regional development agencies
Training was practical and hands-on, customized to the specific needs of each establishment, with the aim of raising service standards, enhancing guest experiences, and fostering stronger collaboration between tourism operators and public institutions.
InSET’s Role and Contribution
InSET managed the entire project lifecycle, including:
Conducting needs assessments through direct meetings with hotels and restaurants
Engaging key local stakeholders such as municipalities, labor offices, vocational schools, and chambers of commerce
Designing and delivering tailored vocational training programs
Organizing final certification events to recognize participants and promote ongoing cooperation
Key Activities
Needs assessment meetings with establishments, including: Hotel Pavarësia, Hotel Ramosaco, Hotel Ambasador, Hotel New York, Hotel Rexhina, Hotel Barracuda, Hotel Mediterranea, Hotel Bukenvilled
Coordination with Chambers of Commerce, labor offices, municipal authorities, and professional high schools in Vlora and Saranda
Development of a customized training curriculum based on identified gaps
Delivery of 3–5 day vocational training sessions in Vlora, Himara, and Saranda
Hosting a final certification event to award certificates to trainees and encourage collaboration among hospitality businesses, institutions, and local government
Approximately 50 participants successfully completed the program.
Results and Impact
The project delivered:
Improved service quality in participating hotels and restaurants
Higher professional competence among hospitality staff
Stronger connections between tourism businesses and local institutions
Greater awareness among stakeholders of the value of ongoing vocational training and professional certification in tourism
Project Future and Sustainability
Future plans include:
Establishing annual pre-season vocational training for staff in a growing number of tourism establishments facing seasonal challenges
Encouraging hotels and restaurants to invest in certified training and recruitment
Securing financial commitments from stakeholders to scale up training initiatives
Creating a sustained professional certification system focused on customer service excellence
This project has built a solid foundation for workforce development in Albania’s tourism sector, contributing to higher-quality visitor experiences along the Southern coast.
